Resources

Easton, Pennsylvania, is home to the longest-running farmers market in the world. For the past 258 years it has served the needs of the Easton residents through providing access to freshly baked goods, fruits, vegetables, crafts, and fun. It is conveniently located in the center of the city and runs from May-November. This weekly ordeal that takes place on Saturday mornings is something I frequently attend for many reasons. I enjoy the freshly baked goods, fruits, and vegetables, and I love the atmosphere.

Well, I’ve been away from home for about 5 weeks now, and I’m starting to miss the things that I ritually did at home, like attending the weekly farmers market, meals at the local Key City diner, and Cosmic Cup café. In order to get a little dose of familiarity and comfort this past Saturday I headed to a local farmers market in Shanghai, China.

This farmers market, though quite different and much smaller than Easton’s farmers market, was able to satisfy almost all of my cravings. I went to the farmers market with my friends Katia and Emily in search of pies, and we left with freshly made hummus, bread, pies, cookies, and smiles on our faces. We also met a bunch of really interesting people who left their homes in America and other areas in the world, and came to Shanghai to make lives for themselves. It was really cool getting to hear their stories, making this farmers market’s atmosphere really unique. Although I would have liked to have left with my freshly squeezed lemonade from the Easton farmers market in hand, I figured that beggars can’t be choosers.

Later that day my friends and I traveled through Shanghai in order to find the mock “Central Perk” café from the TV show Friends. I’ve always been a huge fan of the show, so when I found out there was a café in Shanghai set up like the one that a large part of the show takes place in, I didn’t think twice about going. Walking into “Central Perk” was surreal, and sitting on the famous orange couch and ordering tea and a muffin was a great experience, and instantly my day was made.

This weekend taught me that it’s the little things in life like going to a local farmers market, hanging out with your friends, going to your favorite TV show’s mock café that can get you out of that homesick rut. It also helps that in 2 days I will be celebrating my 21st birthday! Looking forward to a fun, memorable birthday, Shanghai style!

2 Comments

I love the pictures from Central Perk Cafe!!! The famous orange couch with you and your friends, so cool that you had to go all the way to Shanghai to find this replica!
The farmers market seems like a great find! I hope that as the weather gets warmer, you can get to spend more time exploring all those great finds and more time at the farmers market!!

About Lafayette

A national leader in graduation rates, undergraduate research, and graduate and mid-career salaries, Lafayette offers the benefits of larger schools with the student-centered approach of a small, undergraduate college. Learn more.